Boys basketball: Justise Winslow named Texas Gatorade Player of the Year

Justise Winslow did it all for St. John’s this season, leading the Mavericks in every statistical category and helping the team reach the SPC Division I final.

Already one of the best in the country, Winslow was named Thursday the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year.

A 6-foot-6 forward, Winslow averaged 28.6 points, 15.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.5 blocks per game this season. St. John’s (26-9) reached the Division final where the two-time defending champions lost to rival Episcopal.

Rated as the Class of 2014’s sixth-best recruit by Rivals.com, Winslow maintains a B-plus average and has also volunteered as part of a neighborhood beautification project and with a literacy-outreach program.

Winslow is the first Houston-area player to earn the award in three years, following former Yates standout Joseph Young (2010) and Madison star Tommy Mason–Griffin (2009). Marcus Smart, who led Flower Mound Marcus to consecutive Class 5A titles before heading to Oklahoma State, won the honor the last two years.

The last player of the year from a private school in Texas was Ndudi Ebi, who earned the nod in 2003 while playing at Westbury Christian.